- Joined
- Aug 8, 2009
- Messages
- 234
- Reaction score
- 2
- Location
- South Yorkshire
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 1 Nat & 1 WBC
Hi All
Thanks in advance for answers to this one.
Scenario.
Hive attempted to swarm. Thought I had removed all unrequited QCs bar one. However I nuc I leave out (just in case) was discovered a week later with a swarm in it. I assumed it was mine from the hive I had sorted. Therefore I assumed it was an unmated queen (If you can tell the difference, tips would help for future assistance).
It wasn't, what consider a very big number of bees. So I left them. A week later, when checking one of my other hives I noticed quite a lot of activity in the nuc. Part of me thought I should leave well alone, but there was a lot, and I was worried I had left them in a box that was not big enough for them.
On opening them up, I noticed that a) some of the foundation hadn't been drawn out on some of the frames, but at the same time, they had built some comb in the feeder section of the nuc (one of those poly ones - I do like these). Thinking that they may repeat, and also the fact that there was a lot of activity (OSR), I just transferred them to a full size hive, and thought I would give them a week or two to draw the rest of the frames out, the queen to be left in peace to ensure she mates, and went on my merry way.
So what did I find yesterday? Just over half the foundation drawn out properly, and then half of some frames with nothing drawn out one side, and some or Dali creation in the empty space from the opposite frame....and four QCs.
The frames where correctly spaced, just for some reason, they have completely avoided drawing out some of the sides of the frames, leaving a hive with gaps of brood, stores, and drawn out foundation.
Questions:
1. In hindsight, maybe I should have put a super on top while the flow (though drawing to a close) was still evident - but would this have encouraged them to build out the frames in the brood chamber properly?
2. What is the best way to resolve this? Some of the drawn out frames appear to be 'folds' or 'waves' over folds/ waves on one side, and then just undrawn on the opposite frame so it can fit in.
I was just waiting for the queen to start laying before I gave these bees away to a good home and now, despite the fact that she is laying, I can't.
3. I have thought about splitting into two, but this seems daft as though a decent size, it isn't as big as I think it should be for a spilt (obviously, this view is relative, and based on my amateurish opinion). Alternatively, I wondered whether I should remove some of these bizarrely shaped frames (sadly no picture, I wasn't expecting to find anything like this). What is the best way to deal with this?
4. I am pretty sure there was newly laid eggs, so am assuming the queen is still alive and kicking in there, but I did, with hindsight, possibly do the wrong thing, and pulled down all QCs just to buy me a few days time to work out best plan of action, before I go in to sort them out. What would you have done differently? I ask, because I think I have done a knee- jerk response because I wasn't prepared for what I found...and am curious what a real beekeeper would have done
Sorry for long post.
Sally
Thanks in advance for answers to this one.
Scenario.
Hive attempted to swarm. Thought I had removed all unrequited QCs bar one. However I nuc I leave out (just in case) was discovered a week later with a swarm in it. I assumed it was mine from the hive I had sorted. Therefore I assumed it was an unmated queen (If you can tell the difference, tips would help for future assistance).
It wasn't, what consider a very big number of bees. So I left them. A week later, when checking one of my other hives I noticed quite a lot of activity in the nuc. Part of me thought I should leave well alone, but there was a lot, and I was worried I had left them in a box that was not big enough for them.
On opening them up, I noticed that a) some of the foundation hadn't been drawn out on some of the frames, but at the same time, they had built some comb in the feeder section of the nuc (one of those poly ones - I do like these). Thinking that they may repeat, and also the fact that there was a lot of activity (OSR), I just transferred them to a full size hive, and thought I would give them a week or two to draw the rest of the frames out, the queen to be left in peace to ensure she mates, and went on my merry way.
So what did I find yesterday? Just over half the foundation drawn out properly, and then half of some frames with nothing drawn out one side, and some or Dali creation in the empty space from the opposite frame....and four QCs.
The frames where correctly spaced, just for some reason, they have completely avoided drawing out some of the sides of the frames, leaving a hive with gaps of brood, stores, and drawn out foundation.
Questions:
1. In hindsight, maybe I should have put a super on top while the flow (though drawing to a close) was still evident - but would this have encouraged them to build out the frames in the brood chamber properly?
2. What is the best way to resolve this? Some of the drawn out frames appear to be 'folds' or 'waves' over folds/ waves on one side, and then just undrawn on the opposite frame so it can fit in.
I was just waiting for the queen to start laying before I gave these bees away to a good home and now, despite the fact that she is laying, I can't.
3. I have thought about splitting into two, but this seems daft as though a decent size, it isn't as big as I think it should be for a spilt (obviously, this view is relative, and based on my amateurish opinion). Alternatively, I wondered whether I should remove some of these bizarrely shaped frames (sadly no picture, I wasn't expecting to find anything like this). What is the best way to deal with this?
4. I am pretty sure there was newly laid eggs, so am assuming the queen is still alive and kicking in there, but I did, with hindsight, possibly do the wrong thing, and pulled down all QCs just to buy me a few days time to work out best plan of action, before I go in to sort them out. What would you have done differently? I ask, because I think I have done a knee- jerk response because I wasn't prepared for what I found...and am curious what a real beekeeper would have done
Sorry for long post.
Sally